“Yesterday I was watching the news and learned about a report of a crime, as well as the response of law enforcement,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told a press briefing Thursday in response to a question about the arrests of several clergymen.

“I rule out that the processes taking place and being announced are in any way outside the framework of legal procedures and the law.

I assume that you [i.e. the reporters] have more factual information about those cases than I do.

I don’t have the authority to give instructions to everyone. And I don’t think there are officials in Armenia who are ready to carry out illegal instructions. In Armenia, state bodies operate within the limits of their powers and rights. But even if such an instruction were given, who will answer for that illegal act? Who will take the accountability for carrying it out? There is no such thing,” Pashinyan said.

According to him, there is a phenomenon in Armenia where the best way to avoid accountability is to engage in opposition political activity.